Show HN: ChatCBT – AI-powered cognitive behavioral therapist for Obsidian (opens in new tab)

That's an interesting point, but I'll reiterate this tool is explicitly described as not being a replacement for therapy.

> I think LLMs have a lot of therapeutic potential, but I am worried about how easily they can cause harm in this area

At the end of the day, no one can be 100% responsible for someone else. The agency lies with the patient. Even human therapists come with their own beliefs that seep into their practice, which while well-intentioned may not align with the goals of the patient. It is up to the patient to understand their own values and decide whether therapy with a given therapist/therapy method is effective in improving their life.

In your example above, I'm not sure the harm risk is so high. In fact, with your example of exposure, since LLMs tend to regurgitate the same flavor of response over and over, they might actually deliver the same effect of desensitization.

I fall into the OCD thinking category, and found LLMs helpful precisely for the fact they have endless patience (whereas I feel the need to hold back after a certain number of times talking to friends/therapist about the same issue)

Best one can do is be upfront with the aims/design of the tool, and let people decide

I understand that line of thought, but feel differently. Maybe this could be worded more clearly, but it's stated in the REAMDE that ChatCBT is not intended to be a replacement for professional therapy or human interaction, rather a supplement. ChatCBT is just a journaling tool, similar to the CBT worksheets therapists give patients for their emotional toolkits, but more interactive to help you get out of your head a bit.

Frankly, not everyone can afford therapy - monetarily, or in terms of the emotional availability of the friends and family around them. I agree with you human interaction is important. But journaling is also a form of therapy.

I don't intend to monetize this, and would prefer it be a free tool that helps people to not need it anymore.

The benefit here is that you can at least unpack stuff you aren't comfortable talking to a therapist about. The "it's free" thing isn't the real benefit.

The other important thing to look at is that mental healthcare in the US is still heavily stigmatized. There are professions that actively punish people who seek help, like the military or civil flight - a 35-year pilot a few years away from retirement just won't, for example. A 17 year old kid whose family all served in the military, who wants to also do it, will probably be advised against seeking therapy because certain labels lock you out of the career path. And life insurance can and will deny you coverage if you have conditions like anxiety or depression.

Even if you can afford it, you can end up risking the livelihood of you (career options) or those you care about (a stay at home spouse who needs the insurance if something happens to you).

Therapy is important, and I wholeheartedly agree with you: people should go see a real human and get out of the house. It's the healthiest option, and least risky from a health perspective. But even if an LLM is worse than a real licensed therapist and just helps you "talk" about things, I can understand why someone might feel that is the only realistic option under the poor system we live in.

Strange - are you seeing the error on obsidian? Happy to investigate if you open an issue